Donald Bryson: School choice benefits all

Regarding the Feb. 17 editorial “Vouchers lack accountability”: The only thing “preposterous” about the proposed Opportunity Scholarship program is that some are unwilling to give it a try. At the heart of this program is giving parents the freedom to choose where their children go to school.

North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship program currently gives thousands of low-income students a real choice in education. A comprehensive study of a similar program in Florida found significant improvements in participants’ test scores, and found that the increased competition was good for surrounding schools as well.

Thirty-three studies have examined school choice’s effect on students’ academic outcomes in public schools. Of those, 31 find public school performance improves when a school choice program exists.

Opponents like Gov. Roy Cooper ignore these benefits by claiming Opportunity Scholarship schools have no accountability. Nonsense. The high demand from parents for such a program is evidence enough that the program is meeting a real need. Parents can remove their kids from the program at any time.

North Carolina parents need programs like the Opportunity Scholarship in order to find schools that work best for their children.

Donald Bryson

State Director, Americans for Prosperity

Raleigh

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